The freeze of nearly $260 million in Medicaid funding may be focused on Minnesota, but the fear it creates reaches far beyond one state. When federal officials discuss tackling fraud in home-based care, the conversation often turns to budgets, audits, and criminal charges. For disabled people who rely on these services, the consequences are real and deeply personal. I know this because I experience it every day.
I have cerebral palsy, and thanks to the Massachusetts PCA program, I can live in my own home instead of an institution. My PCA lives with me, providing a level of stability that many disabled people never experience. Even with that stability, I rely on him for essential tasks like showering, toileting, and preparing meals. Without that support, I could not live independently.
For millions of disabled people across the country, the stakes are just as high. A missed shift can mean being stuck in bed, unable to eat, use the bathroom, or get to work or school. These are not hypothetical risks; they are daily realities.
That’s why the situation in Minnesota is so concerning. The funding being withheld is crucial for keeping disabled people in school and connected to their communities. Ellie Wilson, executive director of the Autism Society of Minnesota, describes the freeze as “absolutely terrifying.” Her words reflect what many of us already understand: when services disappear too quickly, people lose housing, stability, and sometimes even their lives. These outcomes are not unique to Minnesota; they occur wherever disability supports fail.
Federal officials say this is part of a larger effort to find fraud in home-based care. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is working with Bill Essayli, the acting U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, to identify what they call suspicious billing patterns. Essayli stated that CMS is auditing providers and flagging cases for federal investigators, who can file criminal charges if they find evidence of fraud.
As part of this effort, Dr. Oz sent a letter last month to California Governor Gavin Newsom demanding a “comprehensive program integrity action plan” within three weeks, which included pages of questions and data requests. He pointed out several areas where his staff believes waste and fraud occur, including California’s In-Home Supportive Services program, which allows disabled people to hire caregivers to assist with tasks like cooking, bathing, and cleaning. According to Dr. Oz, that program’s budget has increased by 348 percent over the past decade.
These are serious allegations, and no one in the disability community argues that fraud should be overlooked. Wilson herself points out that many disabled people are strong advocates for addressing fraud and protecting taxpayer dollars. They want oversight and integrity. However, they also recognize the difference between targeted actions and sweeping measures that destabilize entire systems.
As Wilson puts it, “We could be using a scalpel and not a hammer.” Instead, Minnesota faces a broad freeze that threatens essential services while providing little clarity about how long the disruption will last or what exactly must change to restore funding.
From a national viewpoint, Minnesota’s crisis raises a bigger question: what happens when anti-fraud efforts become so extensive that they undermine the stability of Medicaid? Every state depends on Medicaid to support people who are low-income, elderly, and disabled. Every state has programs that rely on predictable federal funding.
If Minnesota can pause a quarter-billion dollars with little warning, other states may wonder if their own programs could be next. Providers may hesitate to expand services. Families may lose trust in the reliability of supports. States may become more cautious about investing in disability programs if they fear sudden federal intervention.
For those of us who depend on these services, the message is clear. Medicaid is not just a budget line; it is infrastructure. It represents the difference between living at home and being institutionalized, between stability and crisis, between dignity and survival.
When that infrastructure is disrupted, the consequences are immediate and personal. Minnesota may be the first state to feel the impact of this freeze, but the fear it creates is national because millions of disabled people know exactly what is at stake if the supports we rely on become political collateral.
Sources:
Munoz, Anabel. “US Department of Justice and Dr. Oz Targeting California over Alleged Medical Fraud.” ABC7 Los Angeles, ABC, 10 Jan. 2026, abc7.com/post/us-department-justice-dr-oz-targeting-california-alleged-medical-fraud/18379958/.
Price, Michelle L., and Ali Swenson. “Vance Says Administration Is Pausing Some Medicaid Funding to Minnesota Because of Fraud Concerns.” The Associated Press, The Associated Press, 25 Feb. 2026, apnews.com/article/minnesota-medicaid-funding-fraud-trump-47b160fd664cdfeef355ae00ca5fecc0.
Wurzer, Cathy, and Lukas Levin. “Disability Advocate Says Medicaid Freeze Could Lead to Death, Homelessness.” MPR News, NPR, 26 Feb. 2026, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/02/26/disability-advocates-say-medicaid-freeze-could-lead-to-death-homelessness